Questions regarding day trip to Lake Lure (Charlotte, Hickory: price, offer)

[groove1]

My gf and I are thinking about driving to Lake Lure from Charlotte this Sunday. We wanted to go into the lower mountains but she recently had sinus surgery so the thinner air would not be good. I know the Lake itself is going to be low, but is there any fall color there right now? Also, are there any nice restaurants near there with a view of the lake? I ask because I am thinking of asking her to marry me and one of her favorite movies is Dirty Dancing. Any replies/comments will be helpful.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by groove1

My gf and I are thinking about driving to Lake Lure from Charlotte this Sunday. We wanted to go into the lower mountains but she recently had sinus surgery so the thinner air would not be good. I know the Lake itself is going to be low, but is there any fall color there right now? Also, are there any nice restaurants near there with a view of the lake? I ask because I am thinking of asking her to marry me and one of her favorite movies is Dirty Dancing. Any replies/comments will be helpful.

Groove, congratulations!!! I know JUST the place


Larkins On The Lake in Lake Lure,NC




Larkin's on the Lake / Bayfront Bar & Grill

Lake Lure, NC 28746
828-625-4075


You'll find two distinct restaurants in one building at this waterfront location. Larkin's is located upstairs and is well known for their Pecan Trout, hand cut steaks, and prime rib, and Bayfront is located in the downstairs area and offers a menu full of salads, appetizers, and sandwiches. Fine wines and beers are served at both restaurants. Larkins is open nightly for dinner with reservations recommended and Bayfront is open daily for lunch and dinner

[lovesMountains]

Oh, and yes, it will be beautiful this weekend I believe. Even if the colors aren't "perfect" this year, it was awesome just 2 weeks ago.

[groove1]

Thanks Loves. I wish the dinner cruises were offered Sunday, but that is still some good information.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by groove1

Thanks Loves. I wish the dinner cruises were offered Sunday, but that is still some good information.

The view out the restaurant faces west, so it is a good place to see the sunset The prime rib was awesome too. We ate there for our anniversary and it was just the right kind of place for a special occasion. You should call ahead and tell them what you have in mind, I bet they would be sure to save you just the right table. Good luck!

[groove1]

Those prices are not bad! She is also a smei-vegetarian (she eats fish) so this is perfect! What county is Lake Lure in?

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by groove1

Those prices are not bad! She is also a smei-vegetarian (she eats fish) so this is perfect! What county is Lake Lure in?

Rutherford county, I believe.

[lovesMountains]

Just FYI, we have a poster here who left Charlotte in the last year to go live in the Chimney Rock area. Perhaps if you sent him a direct message you could get the most up to date info - or even a suggestion on a better place to eat. Look for "CRock" with the search feature.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Lake Lure and Chimney Rock are both in Rutherford County.

I wouldn't be concerned with the air being thin. Lake Lure itself (990' at full pond) is only around 250' higher than Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (748'). If you go onto Chimney Rock, though, you'll be above 2,000'.

The leaves here around 1,000', 14 miles south of Lake Lure, are starting to change, but it's still predominantly green.

It's hard to make a prediction on the leaves - especially with this drought - but, here are a couple of pictures of how things looked last year.



I took this panorama on Halloween in Columbus. It was re-sized by flickr since it was so wide, but hopefully you can still be able to see the trees at the bottom have a lot of color and are around 1,050'. Tryon Peak (highest peak to the left with towers) is close to 3,250'.



This one of Tryon Peak (close-up of the same mountain above, but closer to Tryon from about 1,030') was taken on November 2, 2006 and gives an idea of how the leaves change by elevation. The leaves are already past peak above 2,500', but there is still a lot of color below that.

It is important to note that this particular ridge faces southeast, meaning it receives more sun and is therefore warmer. Ridges, valleys and gorges with north-facing slopes will lose their leaves sooner (for example, Chimney Rock Park faces north in Hickory Nut Gorge).

So, if I had to make a prediction, I would say that this weekend would be best for elevations from 2,000'-3,000', and the next weekend will be peak for the 1,000'-2,000' range. Don't hold me to my word, though.

[groove1]

Thank you cowboy. You get some rep points for those shots! If the leaves are like that, we will be happy.